ANTIFUNGAL AND PHYTOTOXIC PROPERTIES OF CRUDE METHANOLIC EXTRACT AND VARIOUS FRACTIONS FROM STROBILANTHES URTICIFOLIA WALL. EX KUNTZE

In the present study crude methanolic extract and various fractions (n-Hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and aqueous) of Strobilanthes urticifolia Wall.ex Kuntze were used to investigate its antifungal and phytotoxic properties. Antifungal assay was carried out against seven pathogenic fungal strains (Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporium, Triticum harzianum, Rhizopus stolonifera, Alternaria solani, Candida albicans, Microsporum canis) using tube dilution method. The crude methanolic extract and various fractions showed low to good activities against the fungal strains while only aqueous fraction showed significant activity against Candida albicans. Phytotoxic assay was used to investigate the phytotoxic property of the plant extracts against the Lemna minor at different concentrations (10,100 and 1000 µg/ ml) and showed highest phytotoxic activity at the concentration of 1000 µg/ml. The results obtained from in vitro studies of antifungal and phytotoxic activities clearly inferred that the crude methanolic extract and various fractions of Strobilanthes urticifolia Wall.ex Kuntze have significant properties against fungi and phytotoxic substances. For future perspective, extensive work will be needed, for the isolation and characterization of active ingredients from S. urticifolia to facilitate its pharmacological assessment. Key words: Strobilanthes urticifolia Wall.ex Kuntze, crude methanolic extract, fractions, antifungal, phytotoxic